Headlight for horses.



PATENTED FEB. 11,. 1908.

E. L. RICHARDS.

HEADLIGHT FOR HORSES.

APPLICATION IJLED APR.17.190B.

EUGENE L. RICHARDS, OF LITCHFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

HEADLIGHT FOR HORSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 17. 1906. Serial No. 312.136.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE L. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United .States,residing in Litchfield, in the county of Litch'lield and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHeadlights for Horses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device whereby a light may be carried by ahorse in such a manner that the rays from the light will illuminate thepath and will not be obstructed by any part of the body of the horse,and whereby the light will be carried in the most steady manner.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side view of the fore part of a horse shown equipped witha form of my present improve ment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thedevice removed from the horse, the strap for preventing the forwardmovement of the device when in position is not illustrated in this view.Fig. 3 is a side view of the device.

It has been attempted from time to time to provide means for carrying alamp so that the rays of light will fall directly in front of the horse,as for instance by fastening it to the breast collar or shafts; but ithas been found that a very great amount of motion and jarring wasimparted to the lamp when carried in such positions. I have discoveredhowever, that when a horse is traveling that its neck remains moresteady than any other ortion of the body, and it is to the neck that Turpose attaching my lamp carrying device w ich in the present instanceis shown as embodying a plate 5 for resting upon the top of the neck 6of the horse. This plate may be made of sheet metal and of such a lengththat it will afford a considerable bearing surface upon the neck of thehorse to prevent cutting into the flesh or abrading and marring themane. This plate being made of sheet metal may be readily formed to thevarious shaped necks of horses to which it may be applied.

- The edges may be curled up or otherwise reinforced, as at 7, and carrysuitable means for the attachment of straps 8 in the present instanceloops 9.

The straps are shown as provided with snap hooks 10 for the more readyattachment and detachment of the devicev from the horse, although thestraps are provided with buckles 11 for their ad ustment, and which mayin some instances be employed instead of the snap hooks for fasteningand unfastenmg the device on a horses neck. The lower ends 12 of thestraps are fastened to the lower supporting member 18 which will engagethe lower side of a horse's neck. This lower or lam supporting member orlate may be mar e of some material of suita le characteristics; leatherof some stiffness may be employed, since this will be stiff enough tomaintain the shape of the device although permitting it to yield to themovement of the neck of the horse, as well as adapting it forconformation to the various thicknesses of necks when it is desired touse the device some times upon one and some times u on another of anumber of horses. This p ate or member may be perforated as at 14 forpurposes of ventilation.

The lamp 15 is shown adjustably carried by a bracket 16, there being asuitable set screw 17 for the adjustment of the lamp upon the bracket.The bracket is carried by a hanger 28, there being an eye 18 on thebracket embracing a set screw 19 which passes through the dependent ears20, the eye 18 being secured between said cars which are carried by aplate 21, which may be suitably riveted to the supporting member 13, andmay be substantially of the same length as such supporting member.Various positions of adjustment are indicated in Fig. 1 by the dottedline positions 22 and 23, the full line position 24 indicating thebracket in substantially a vertical position, and the other positionsindicating the lamp in such position-that it will throw a light fartherforward or cause its rays to be focused upon the ground more nearly infront of a horses feet. The adjustment not only permits the regulationas to where the light shall be placed, but also permits adjustment toaccommodate the device to the angle at which various horses may carrytheir necks.

To prevent the device slipping forward on the horses neck, particularlywhen he is unchecked and drops his head, a strap 25 may be secured tothe rearmost loops 9 and be passed over the check rein hook 26 carriedby the harness saddle 27. The strap 25 may also be provided with a snaphook 30, so that the device may be readily removed by merely unfasteningthe snap hooks.

This device is readily applied to the horse when occasion may demand,and may be readily removed, and will when in position fit the necksecurely but not uncomfortably, and hold the lamp from vibration.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. The combination of means adapted. to closely embrace the neck of ahorse, and a swingingly adjustable light pendent therefrom but rigidlyconnected thereto.

2. The combination of means adapted to closely embrace the neck of ahorse and comprising a rigid member and a flexible member detachablyconnected one to the other, and a light pendent from the flexible memberbut rigidly connected thereto.

3. The combination of a pair of separable strap connected neck embracingmembers, one to embrace the upper and the other the underside of ahorses neck in such a manner as not to partake of the movement of theshoulders of the horse, and a light pendent from but rigidly connectedto the lower of said members.

4. The combination of a pair of separable strap connected neck embracingmembers, one to embrace the upper and the other the under side of ahorses neck in such a manner as not to partake of the movement of theshoulders of the horse, and an adjustable lgiht pendent from but rigidlyconnected to the lower of said members. I

5. The combination with a sheet metal plate for engaging the upper sideof a horses neck, a flexible plate for engaging the lower side of thehorses neck, flexible connection between these, and a lamp bracketcarried by the lower plate.

6. In a device of the character specified, the combination with a sheetmetal plate conforming to the shape of the upper portion of a horsesneck and having loops, a flexible plate for engaging the lower portionof the horses neck and shaped to conform thereto, straps carried by theflexible plate,

means for connecting said straps to the metal plate, an inflexible platesecured to the central portion of the flexible plate and being ofsubstantially the same length there of, a pair of ears carried by saidinflexible plate, a set screw traversing said ears, a lamp brackethaving an eye located between said ears and embracing said set screw,and a lamp adjustably carried by said bracket.

EUGENE L. RICHARDS. Vitnesses CHARLES M. GARNING, FRANCIS A. STooK.

